William McCourt

For the Clerk of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly, see William Rupert McCourt.

William McCourt (1 March 1851 22 June 1913) was an Irish-born Australian politician.

He was born in County Monaghan to farmer James McCourt and Bridget Galbraith. He arrived in New South Wales with his parents in 1852 and attended Wollongong Public School. He was apprenticed to a printer after leaving school, and was also a successful land speculator. In 1882 he married Emily Elizabeth, with whom he had six children. He was elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly in 1882 as the member for Camden. He lost his seat in 1885 but was re-elected in 1887. A free trader, he transferred to Borwal in 1894 and to Wollondilly in 1904. By this time a member of the Liberal Reform Party, he was elected Speaker in 1900, serving until the election of a Labor government in 1910. McCourt held his seat until his death at Berrima in 1913.[1]

References

  1. "Mr William McCourt (1851–1913)". Former Members. Parliament of New South Wales. 2008. Retrieved 18 October 2014.
New South Wales Legislative Assembly
Preceded by
Sir Joseph Abbott
Speaker
1900–1910
Succeeded by
John Cann
Preceded by
John Kidd
Member for Camden
1882–1885
Served alongside: Thomas Garrett
Succeeded by
John Kidd
Preceded by
John Kidd
Member for Camden
1887–1894
Served alongside: Garrett/Cullen; none/Kidd
Succeeded by
John Kidd
New seat Member for Bowral
1894–1904
Abolished
New seat Member for Wollondilly
1904–1913
Succeeded by
Frank Badgery